Given a nonincreasing function f : ℤ≥ 0 \{0} → ℤ≥ 0 such that (i) f(k) − f(k + 1) ≤ 1 for all k ≥ 1 and (ii) if a = f(1) and b = limk → ∞f(k), then |f−1(a)| ≤ |f−1(a − 1)| ≤ ··· ≤ |f−1(b + 1)|, a system of generators of a monomial ideal I ⊂ K[x1, . . ., xn] for which depth S/Ik = f(k) for all k ≥ 1 is explicitly described. Furthermore, we give a characterization of triplets of integers (n, d, r) with n > 0, d ≥ 0 and r > 0 with the properties that there exists a monomial ideal I ⊂ S = K[x1, . . ., xn] for which limk→∞ depth S/Ik = d and dstab(I) = r, where dstab(I) is the smallest integer k0 ≥ 1 with depth S/Ik0 = depth S/Ik0+1 = depth S/Ik0+2 = ···.

For a group G, a weak Cayley table isomorphism is a bijection f : G → G such that f(g1g2) is conjugate to f(g1)f(g2) for all g1, g2 ∈ G. The set of all weak Cayley table isomorphisms forms a group (G) that is the group of symmetries of the weak Cayley table of G. We determine (G) for each of the 17 wallpaper groups G, and for some other crystallographic groups.

Recent experiments have shown that patterns can emerge in bacterial colonies genetically modified to have a drop in diffusion when population densities (detected via a quorum sensing mechanism) are sufficiently large. We examine one PDE model of this system, and construct its non-constant stationary solutions in the form of an interface for the bacterial density. We derive the equations for the interface motion and demonstrate analytically that such interface solution is stable when the diffusion rate of bacteria is large and the diffusion rate of signalling molecules, Dh, is small. We further demonstrate that increasing Dh induces a Hopf bifurcation, resulting in a loss of stability, which can lead to either complex spatio-temporal dynamics or extinction of pattern altogether. These results are confirmed by numerical simulations.

For an element g of a group G, an Engel sink is a subset ${\mathscr E}$(g) such that for every x ∈ G all sufficiently long commutators [. . .[[x, g], g], . . ., g] belong to ${\mathscr E}$(g). A finite group is nilpotent if and only if every element has a trivial Engel sink. We prove that if in a finite group G every element has an Engel sink generating a subgroup of rank r, then G has a normal subgroup N of rank bounded in terms of r such that G/N is nilpotent.

We solve a problem posed by Cardinali and Sastry (Elliptic ovoids and their rosettes in a classical generalized quadrangle of even order. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. Math. Sci. 126 (2016), 591–612) about factorization of 2-covers of finite classical generalized quadrangles (GQs). To that end, we develop a general theory of cover factorization for GQs, and in particular, we study the isomorphism problem for such covers and associated geometries. As a byproduct, we obtain new results about semi-partial geometries coming from θ-covers, and consider related problems.